THE future of a town council is under threat because a campaigning member just won't be shut up.

Saltney councillors abandoned the latest meeting in angry mood and say they have reported Klaus Armstrong-Braun to the local government ombudsman after months of disruption.

It is a repeat of history for the councillor who previously went to the High Court to fight a ban by Broughton and Bretton Council and he also successfully challenged attempts by Flintshire councillors to gag him.

The latest meeting of Saltney Town Council was abandoned following a shouting match between three members and the town mayor.

Allegations of Councillor Armstrong-Braun's misconduct and his failure to comply with standing orders have been sent to Flintshire County Council's monitoring officer and the ombudsman for Wales, by a number of councillors.

They claim that Councillor Armstrong-Braun:
Failed to recognise the authority of the town mayor, claiming he did not and would not respect his authority.
Failed to comply with standing orders even when requested to do so by members and the mayor.
Brought in a Flintshire County Council employee to inspect lighting owned by the town council without authority or permission from the town council, and therefore breached the council's code of conduct.
Breached Flintshire County Council's code of conduct by misusing resources for this inspection.

'I have been a member of Saltney Town Council for nearly 20 years and have never witnessed such behaviour in all my time as a councillor,' said Town Councillor Terry Walker, who is one of the councillors who has lodged a complaint.

'If it carries on the way it is come election time we won't get anyone to stand for the Town Council.'

Cllr Peter Frost has also written to the monitoring officer regarding Councillor Armstrong-Braun's behaviour.

'I fear for Saltney Town Council if this carries on. It's ridiculous, I don't know why he has to be like this. I have had disagreements with other councillors in the past but they don't get up and bellow and shout and ignore the town mayor.

'When he turns round and says I don't recognise the chairman and I won't recognise the chairman it's a sad state, if we all did that we would never get anywhere.'

Mayor of Saltney Harold Evans has also made an official complaint.

'The fact that he doesn't recognise the chair is not the basis to conduct a meeting,' he said.

'We will have to wait and see what the ombudsman says.'

But Cllr Armstrong-Braun has defended his actions and says that he has a right to speak at meeting and the council cannot stop him.

'Its just bad manners, they try and stop me speaking. I did not recognise the mayor because he was not acting as a chairman, he was failing in his legal duty. He is supposed to control the meeting and allow everyone to speak. The mayor told me to shut up, he was acting wrongly and that's why I refused.

'Cllr Walker and Cllr Frost they are the worse ones, they show no respect for me or the chair. They breached standing orders by standing up and trying to stop me speaking.'

Councillor Armstrong-Braun says that he has a right as a town councillor to consult the authority of the County Council and a duty to his electorate to ensure jobs are done properly.

Recalling his problems with Broughton council colleagues, Cllr Armstrong-Braun said: 'At each meeting we sat for hours and they tried to stop me speaking, they wouldn't let me put motions. Meetings were abandoned there as well.' Town Cllr Billy Crawford, (Independent), has threatened to resign if the problem persists, but he recognises Councillor Armstrong-Braun's right to speak.

'I believe that the people on the council are there for the benefit of the local community and if that means challenging authority, we have to challenge authority,' said Cllr Crawford.

'He was trying to get a point across, although he may have gone over the top.

'I am on the verge of resigning because of it. People have to respect each others' position on both sides.'

A spokesman for Flintshire County Council said: 'A number of members of Saltney Town Council have written to the county monitoring officer making allegations that breaches of the town council's code of conduct occurred during the course of the meeting held on November 12.'